Are You Normal?

Now he is back

A long time ago when I was 11 there was a man that lived in my neighborhood who would look in my window at night. My parents would call the police but he'd go back inside his house before they'd get there and they would say there was nothing they could do unless they caught him on our property. This was back whem my parents were together and my Dad did catch him one time peeking in my window late at night and beat the shit out of him.

My Dad was arrested and had to goto jail and had to do a bunch of classes and community service. Well you would think that would have stopped him but it didn't. He came back many times. I switched rooms with my parents but he figured that out quickly. My Dad would sleep in my room and rush outside when the man would peer in my window but he would get away.

We got a restraining order on him and I saw him in court. It was the first time I had seen him in full light and he was scarier than I realized. He had holes all over his face like he had horrible acne or chickenpox and scratched it when he was younger. He winked at me several times and it was so creepy. The restraining order didnt stop him from coming so we had the police do a stakeout in my room one night and sure enough he came and they caught him. They only put him in jail for a few days though.

Well it wasnt long after that he got arrested for doing things to his niece who was only 8 years old. He was living with his brother and his family, they owned the house. He was sentenced to 6 years in prison. I would frequently check the inmate search on the prisons website to make sure he was still locked up and didnt get out early.

We moved to a neighboring state. Even though he was locked up, I still had nightmares and we ended up moving because I was so scared living in that house, that he could get out at any time. My parents are not together anymore. Although they swear it's not because of me and this that they got divorced, I know it played a big part.

Three weeks ago he was released. Now he is back! He found me somehow even though I don't have a drivers license. My Mom says I'm just being paranoid but I could feel his presence outside. We live near woods and there aren't any neighboors close by and no street lights so its hard to see anything out there but I knew he was there. Then last night it was lightning, not raining but heat lightning. Thats when I saw his face. I screamed and my mom came in and we walked outside. She has a gun (a little 22) and we looked around but he had taken off.

My Mom doesnt believe he's back and says it was shadows and my mind playing tricks on me but I know I saw him and he saw me in the light of the lightning. I never turn a light on in my room after dark, I don't even use my phone or a tablet after dark in my room. I leave my blinds open because I have to know when he's out there.

Part of me wanted to believe that he would stay in jail forever or that we'd moved far enough away that he couldn't find me but deep down I knew this day would come. I am so scared and so alone. What should I do?

Get a security camera and place it in your room facing the window or get one that connects outside and has night vision. That way you will know if he's really there or not or you are just having symptoms of PTSD.

Frankly, it sounds like you're obsessed and maybe even want to be freaked out. Make sure the house and your window is locked and secure, and close the damn blinds. Why should he come snooping around if he knows he's not going to see anything?

The suggestion of an exterior camera with night-vision is a good one. Solar-powered, infrared activated, outdoor LED lights are pretty cheap these days, and peeping-toms avoid illuminated places.

If neither of those are possible, you could set up some cheap and nasty man-traps under the window. Hammer nails in boards, lay them on the ground under the window with the nails up, and cover them with grass clippings or something to conceal the spikes. If you want to be really vicious, smear dog-shit on the nails. Rusty barbed-wire and trip-lines would also be easy and cheap.

Yeah, it is a sort of punji stick. Would someone like him dying of an infected wound really be so horrible?

I suppose they would need to consider the legal implications. I know in the UK it's no longer legal to do things like embed broken glass in the tops of walls, even though the only people it would injure are those up to no good. But the OP appears to be in the States, and they have a more robust stance on protecting personal property there.

The OP is clearly traumatized, but her mother is on the scene, she clearly knows more about the situation than we do, and she's expressed doubts that the stalker-creep has found them. The traps would be more about making the OP feel secure, rather than actually hoping to inflict serious harm on the scumbag.

Yes it is fucked up. But there is no second amendment ensuring the right to own and bear a bear trap. Just suggesting that you abandon your torture fantasies, and buy a gun to make sure your kitten is well protected.

Almost every night for the past week the motion lights have been set off several times. I have seen several dogs, that are definitely not my neighbors and I'm almost certain I saw him. It's hard to be sure because he was in the distance and the light only showed silhouettes, but I saw a cigarette cherry. Even if i was trippin and didn't see him these fucking dogs don't belong to anyone around here. No 1 I know has chows, not for many miles away that I am aware of. My mom thinks I am crazy and it's just raccoons setting off the lights. I have seen these chows several times. They are way bigger than any god damn raccoons and when they run away, it is obvious. Raccoons dont run in a straight line and sound heavy, they go up trees. I am still so scared. I know he is out there. What should I do? I want to just shoot into the shadows! Am I crazy or why don't people believe me!?

You need to seriously do everything you can to protect yourself. Please get the authorities to actually help you track where he lives so that you know its not just in your head. That guy obviously is a dangerous person and you need to protect yourself. Stay safe!!!!!!

I don't know how to do a lot of these things. Bear traps will probably hurt someone else. I am putting motion sensore lights everywhere. I can't have a dog, I wish, but that is a long term commitment. I dont want to live here any longer than I have to.

Get a couple Rottweilers. That guy won’t last seconds once they catch him near their owner! Just make sure the guy isn’t armed so he can’t hurt the dogs. And if they manage to attack him, keep the dogs with you, so he doesn’t try to get revenge on them or something. This guy sounds psycho enough to do that. Some security cameras would also be a really good idea too.

The suggestions already here are on point. Make sure everything is locked and closed, and close the blinds. Get a security camera to prove it really is him, and you could also set a trap. (All with the help of your parent, of course.) I don't know know what more you can do.